Someone, Someday
by iBrows
Summary: An alternate universe where Roy is a single father who's trying his best to give his daughter the best life and Riza is a teacher who is slowly changing their lives. - RoyAi, AU
1. Chapter I - His Elizabeth

**Someone, Someday**

 ** _Disclaimer:_ I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters. If I did, RoyAi would be canon.**

 **CHAPTER I** **  
** _His Elizabeth **  
**_

An earthquake – Roy could've sworn there was an earthquake; until he realized that along with the shaking of his bed was a little girl's voice trying to wake him up. "Daddy, daddy! Wake up!" He slowly opened his eyes and saw that his daughter was indeed jumping up and down on his bed. Her little feet sinking at the mattress every time she hopped. "Sweetie." He whispered as he sat up on his bed. "What's gotten into you?" He continued while rubbing the sleep off of his eyes. Elizabeth – or Ellie as her father calls her – sat on Roy's lap and placed her tiny hands on the sides of his face. She giggled when she felt his stubble on her palms. "Daddy should shave." Roy looked at Ellie for a few seconds; just taking in the fact that the adorable little girl in front of him was his daughter.

Her jet black hair was a reminder that she was a Mustang; but Ellie's eyes were the brightest shade of blue that Roy has ever seen. A total contrast but, still she was the most beautiful person in her father's eyes.

Roy realized that he had zoned out and that Ellie was telling him to shave. "Oh, yeah. But you know what, that could wait. For now, we should get you ready for your first day of school." Ellie's eyes grew wide and she let out a gasp. "You're right, daddy!" She jumped off the bed and went back to her room. Roy was left sitting on his bed with a smile on his face; wondering what he did to deserve such a beautiful blessing.

"Please sit still, Ellie. I can't...ugh...get your ponytail right if you...ugh...keep on moving." Roy said in between groans as he tried his best to make a proper ponytail for his daughter. "But Daddy, I want you to braid it." She turned around to face Roy and pouted at him. "Please?" Of course, Roy couldn't say no to her, so he undid the ponytail and started braiding her hair. Being a single father, it was a prerequisite to learn stuff he never would've thought he would do; like braiding hair. Sure, he had two sisters but that never really meant he had to look after them, let alone doing their hair.

"Okay, done. Look." He said as he pointed to the mirror. Ellie looked at her reflection then looked at him through the mirror and smiled. "Thank you, Daddy." With that, Roy kissed the top of her head and whispered. "You're welcome, princess."

* * *

Roy parked his car and opened the door for Ellie who was in the backseat. Ellie hopped off the car while her father held her hand. They walked hand in hand until they reached her classroom. A one-story building painted light yellow, with 4 windows that are high enough for adults so they can perhaps take a peep inside. The playground that wasn't far from the classroom was empty.

A lot of other parents were there; some comforting their crying children and some were already waving goodbye. Roy squatted so he was on eye level with Ellie. "Here you are, Ellie. Remember what I told you; always listen to your teacher, okay?" She nodded. He continued. "I will pick you up at 3, so don't leave the classroom until I'm here, okay?" Ellie smiled and said, "Yes, daddy." Her blue eyes were brimming with excitement. "Go now." He told her. She hugged him before he stood back up. "Bye, daddy." Ellie walked slowly to her classroom, tugging at the straps of her little yellow backpack as she took small steps farther from her father. She waved goodbye to Roy once more before entering. Roy smiled and waved back at her.

 _Buzz_. _Buzz_. Roy's phone vibrated in his pocket while he was walking back to the parking lot. He stopped and reached for it on his right pocket; the caller ID indicated that it was his best friend, Maes. He swiped at the screen and continued with his pace. Just as he placed the phone over his ear, he immediately said, "This better be good, Maes." On the other side, Maes shouted. "Roy! Guess what!" He rolled his eyes as if Maes were in front of him. "What?" He uninterestingly responded once more. "GRACIA'S PREGNANT! YESSSSS! I'M GOING TO BE A DAD!" Roy frowned. "Maes, you monkey, you're already a dad. But congrats on your second child, buddy. Send my congratulations to Gracia too." Roy unlocked the door of his car and sat on the driver's seat. "Sure, thanks, Roy. So, there's that, I know you're a busy man. I'll let you go now. Bye!" Maes hung up after that. "Psycho." He said to himself after he pocketed his phone. He started the engine and drove to his workplace which wasn't that far from Ellie's kindergarten. Still, as he drove, his mind was filled with worries about his daughter.

* * *

Roy arrived at his workplace after just three minutes of driving. After parking, he looked at the backseat and took a deep breath. Before, when he worked, Ellie stayed with Roy's mother. When that's the case, he's usually untroubled and confident. Today was different though, Ellie was in the hands of a stranger; a reliable stranger but stranger nonetheless. In the end, he decided to call his sister, Jillian. Roy leaned his head on the steering wheel as he waited for her to pick up. After the fourth ring, she finally answered. "Oh, if it isn't my little brother. Hey, Roy." He sat up straight when he heard her voice. "Jill, I just dropped Ellie off at the kindergarten." He explained briefly. "Wow! Ellie's growing up so fast! How are _you_ holding up?" She asked, knowing full well that her brother has a tendency to be overprotective when it comes to his child. "Not good, honestly. I want to pick her up, maybe she can start next year or the year after that. How would she handle it? I mean, you did say that the teacher was good, right? But–" Roy's voice had a panicky tone which made Jillian realize that she should help him. "Roy, listen to me, take a deep breath, get out of the office for a bit and just try to relax. She's going to be alright. Max attended that kindergarten and I can assure you Riza is a great teacher. Besides, it's a small class. It would be easy to keep an eye on the kids. Stop worrying."

Roy took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. "Okay. Okay, I trust your judgment. Besides, it's only until 3 o' clock. How hard could it be?" He said as he rubbed his temples with his free hand. "See? You're gonna be okay. Ellie's gonna be okay. Just concentrate on doing your job, Attorney. Anyway, I gotta go, Roy. I, too, have motherly duties. Love you, take care of yourself. And I'll see you soon. Bye. " A beep indicated that Jillian hung up. After a few seconds of worrying some more, he finally stepped out of the car and made his way to his office.

Roy spent the half of his day worrying about Ellie. He was about to get up and relax when his colleague and friend, Kane Fuery, passed by. "You look awful." He commented. Roy looked at him and sighed. "Thank you, Fuery. I appreciate it." He made his way to the lobby and looked at the clock. It was 11:35. If he remembered correctly, he dropped Ellie off at the Kindergarten at approximately 9:00. _Maybe I can just check how she's doing._ He thought.

Not even a minute later, he was rushing off to the parking lot and drove his car to the Kindergarten. As he drove, he dialed Jillian's number back and put her on speaker. Unlike earlier, she picked up immediately. As soon as she did, she spoke. "Let me guess, you're at the Kindergarten?" Roy looked at the traffic lights and felt blessed whenever he saw that it was green. "I'm on my way. Still driving." He almost shouted at his phone.

On the other line, Jillian groaned. "Seriously, Roy? God, you have serious trust issues." Roy, out of habit, raised his eyebrows as he made the last turn to the Kindergarten. "Yeah, no shit, Jill. Of course I do. You can be so insensitive sometimes, you know." Jillian sighed, realizing her mistake. "I'm sorry. I just think it's about time you let Ellie do a few things without you. She has to know that there are more people in the world other than her father, grandmother and two aunts. Do you get my point?"

As painful as it sounded, it was true. And Roy did get her point. "I...I get it. But Ellie has been my world for 4 years, Jill. It's...different for you. You have Alex to help you raise Max. I've got no one." Jillian sighed. "You know that's not true. Mom, Rachel and I are always here for you." He stepped on the breaks as he finally parked his car. "I know that but," He hesitated for a bit. "You know what I mean. And it's just not the same. Anyway, I arrived at the Kindergarten. I gotta go."

Roy grabbed his phone and car keys and placed it on his coat's pocket. Anxious, he tried to relax himself by pacing slowly. Roy could see that the playground was filled with kids around Ellie's age but she was not there.

Just as he was a few meters to her classroom, Ellie came bursting from the door and ran to him. Roy stopped on his tracks and smiled widely at the sight of his daughter. "Daddy!" She shouted, hugging his legs in the process.

A wave of relief washed off Roy's anxieties. He squatted and hugged her tightly. He held both of her shoulders at arm's length. "How was...school?" Ellie's eyes lit up. "It was fun, daddy. Teacher is so kind and pretty too. I wanna be like her when I grow big." Roy smiled, amused at the fact that his daughter actually said that. "Really? Well, maybe I should meet your teacher then. But I bet you're still prettier than her." He joked, thinking the teacher was probably a 50 year-old woman who reminds Ellie of her grandmother.

"Teacher has really pretty hair, daddy."

"Prettier than mine?"

"Yes."

They weren't finished talking yet when a young woman around Roy's age opened the classroom door and made her way to the playground. Roy followed her with his eyes, thinking what she was doing on such a facility. Ellie, on the other hand, looked at what her father was staring at and saw her teacher. "Daddy, that's teacher!"

Roy stood back up and straightened his coat. He smiled at Ellie. "She _is_ pretty."

* * *

A/N: Ahh, well, the first chapter is up! I might or might not update tomorrow. Please review if you could and I swear I'll love you forever. Be constructive please. 3


	2. Chapter II - Meetings

**CHAPTER II**

 _Meetings_

After Roy's little panic attack over Ellie being in the hands of a stranger, he finally felt confident after seeing that the teacher was a capable young lady; and not a person closer to his mother's age. Alas, he didn't get to meet _Teacher Riza_ yet but he was looking forward to it for no apparent reason.

A few days after that, Maes invited Roy and Ellie over for dinner because he said _Gracia's cooking is just heavenly and should be tasted by all._ And Roy already knew that, since Maes invites him over once a week, and lo, every time they come over, Gracia prepares food that looks way too much for 5 persons, and now that Gracia's pregnant, he expects to see more.

When they arrived at the Hughes' place – a pretty big house with a playground on the front yard and a pool at the back – Ellie excitedly grabbed hold of Roy's hand. "Daddy, can I play with Elicia?" She asked. Roy nodded. "Of course, just try not to tire yourself too much, you still have to go to school tomorrow." Ellie smiled in response.

Before Roy could even ring the doorbell, Maes came bursting at the door. "Hi, Elizabeth!" He said with open arms, completely ignoring Roy whose hand was still about to press the doorbell. "Uncle Maes!" She happily answered and gave Maes a big hug in which he felt much more like an elf was hugging his knees. Ellie scampered away when Elicia called her over.

After that, Maes looked at Roy who seemed to have been frozen in place. "Heeeey! What are you, a statue? Don't just stand there. Come on in." Roy flashed him a glare. "I thought you just wanted me to stand here forever." Maes laughed out loud and put his arms around Roy's shoulder. "Your sense of humor is as plain as a cloudless sky." Roy sighed and said with a straight face, "Your analogies are just as bad you know." They both laughed.

* * *

After dinner, Maes and Roy went to the veranda with drinks on their hands. Maes sipped his wine. "So, are you doing any better with Ellie being in school?" He looked at Roy whose eyes were fixed on an invisible object. Roy leaned his back on the railings and took a sip from his glass. "Yeah, it's been 2 weeks and I haven't had any more freak panic attacks." He paused. "If I had a panic attack every time Ellie went to school, I'd go psycho." Maes laughed, remembering how he was in a similar situation just two years back.

However, Maes knew better than to compare his situation with Roy. He had Gracia, Roy had no one; he was basically a father and a mother at the same time. Which was a concept Maes knew absolutely nothing about. Maes said nothing about it either; he was afraid Roy might think he pitied him.

Maes leaned on the railings, opposite to Roy who was now facing at the direction of Ellie, Gracia and Elicia as they played with Elicia's dollhouse. "Roy." Maes said, "Give yourself a chance; don't punish yourself. You may be a father but that doesn't mean you can't fall in love, you know. I know you, and I know you need someone. Especially now. Go to a bar or a club or heck, even a library." He teased his best friend.

Roy turned his head to raise an eyebrow at him. "I've got better things to do than to be at a bar or a club or a library, Maes. You know that. And God forbid I'd ever go to such extremes just to find someone whom Ellie could call 'Mom.'" Maes laughed. "You act as if you never did it before." Roy smirked and took another small sip of wine from his glass. "That was before Ellie came. I was _superficial._ I mean, you know how I was in high school and college, I got around." A memory came to his mind which made him chuckle. "Everybody called me a manwhore." He continued. "Now, if I were to fall in love however, I just want someone who I know would be capable of loving Ellie as much as I do. I think it's possible but, man, would it be difficult." Maes patted Roy's head and messed up his hair, a gesture in which Maes would've gotten killed if they were still in high school. "Oh, boy. With a face like that and the fact that you're a lawyer, I can assure you, it would be easy."

* * *

A month has passed since Ellie first started school. As Roy strapped her to the backseat, Ellie excitedly told him, "Daddy, teacher said that mommies or daddies should come to school tomorrow." She passed Roy a note which said that it was Family Day, which requires a parent or both parents or a guardian to come and socialize. "Oh, okay. Well, who do you want to come to this? Me? Gramma? Aunt Jill? Or Aunt Rachel?" He asked jokingly. Ellie smiled and clapped her hands. "I want daddy." Roy decided he was definitely going to go for Ellie's sake. So, he took the day off the next day and went to the said event.

After doing Ellie's hair, Roy made his way back to his room to get dressed. He didn't think of what he would wear so he grabbed the first shirt he saw; a white shirt with black elbow-length raglan sleeves. _I never bought this,_ he said to himself. After a few seconds of disagreeing with himself, he still wore it and paired it with black denim pants and black sneakers. He looked at the mirror and observed his reflection. Even with bags under his eyes, he still looked _pretty damn good_ if he were to say so himself. _One last thing_ , he remembered. On normal days, Roy would wear his contact lenses but if it was a non-formal meeting, he would wear his eyeglasses. _It makes me more attractive,_ he told Maes a few years back when he asked why he wore his eyeglasses when he has lenses.

Ellie was watching a cartoon on TV when Roy got out of the room. "Hey, princess. How does daddy look?" Ellie took her eyes off the TV and looked at Roy. "Daddy looks good and handsome because you have your eyeglasses on." Roy hi-fived her to which she giggled. "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Let's go then." Ellie jumped off of the sofa as he turned off the TV. He held Ellie's hand, grabbed his car keys and slipped on his leather jacket that was left hanging behind the door. Taking one last look at the appliances, to see if he had left any open, he finally slammed the door shut and locked it.

* * *

Roy was, without a doubt, a social butterfly back then, he was good at conversations and he was charismatic. This event, however, made him question that. He wasn't nervous but he didn't go around to talk to other parents. He sat on one of the chairs and let Ellie sit on his lap. She turned around so she was face to face with her father and hugged him then, tightening her tiny arms around his neck. _This isn't a bad way to die,_ Roy thought. "I love you, daddy." Ellie whispered on his right ear.

He couldn't help but be happy and sad at the same time. He was happy that Ellie was very affectionate now but sad that in a few years' time, he might not be hearing those words from her anymore. Instead of worrying, Roy just smiled and hugged her back. "I love you so much, princess."

The small gathering started as soon as the teacher went to the front and introduced herself. "Good morning, everyone and welcome to our small Family Day program. I am Riza Hawkeye and I, well, you guys guessed it, I am the teacher. I've been teaching in this Kindergarten for 4 years and I'm really looking forward to meeting and working with you all." Roy looked at her intently. Ellie wasn't lying when she said her teacher was pretty. Roy saw her sometimes when she drops Ellie off at the Kindergarten but, he never got a close look. He never realized she had brown eyes, her blonde hair was down and it reached down to the middle of her back. Roy caught himself before he could think of worse things. He felt embarrassed at the fact that he finds his daughter's teacher attractive so, he looked away from Riza and just pretended to adjust his eyeglasses.

Roy distracted himself by listening to Ellie's classmates introduce themselves and their parent and/or parents. It was an interesting bunch; there were parents who were soldiers, teachers and doctors. He was the only lawyer. How was he sure? Ellie was the last one to be called thus making him the last one to be introduced.

Ellie's hand was as cold as ice as they made their way to the front. Roy tried to rub her hand, hoping to share some of his warmth to his daughter's hand. As they walked closer to the front, Roy could've sworn he heard whispering; perhaps the parents were wondering where Ellie's mother was or perhaps it was just his imagination and nobody was whispering at all.

Ellie looked up at Roy, waiting for a signal to start. He looked at her, gently squeezed her small hand and nodded. She faced the crowd and spoke with a small voice. "My name is Elizabeth Mustang and this is my daddy Roy. He is a lawyer. He helps people to...uhm...not be put in jail." She tugged at his right sleeve. "Say something, daddy." Roy cleared his throat and adjusted his eyeglasses with one hand. "Hello, everyone. My name is Roy Mustang, I am Elizabeth's father. It's nice to meet you all. I work at a law firm not far from here. So, if you ever need legal assistance, please don't hesitate to ask for my card. I might just be the lawyer you didn't know you needed." He joked, which caused a short burst of laughter.

Eight persons – six women and two men – asked Roy for his business card after the program was over. He was surprised that people actually took it seriously, though he thought four of the women that asked for his card was acting quite flirtatious with him. (Which wasn't new to him at all.)

"Hello, Mr. Mustang." A woman's voice came from behind him as he just finished handing a business card to a parent. He turned around to face her; it was Ellie's teacher, Riza. "Hello." She smiled at him. "Riza Hawkeye, nice to meet you." He shook her hand. "Roy Mustang. Nice to meet you too, Miss Hawkeye." Roy flinched. "Oh, I'm sorry, is it Miss? Or Missus? Pardon my assumption, though." Riza giggled a little. "It's okay. And yeah, it's Miss." Roy sighed from relief, mostly because he got it right and partly because she might actually be unmarried and single. _What am I saying?!_ He just acted naturally after mentally scolding himself."Thank goodness. And how may I help you?"

"I just wanted to tell you that Elizabeth is one of the smartest and most behaved girls in class. But what worries me is that she's not as sociable as the others. During recess, she would eat her snacks alone on her seat and would sit quietly even after that. I'm not implying that there's something wrong with her but I just need to know how I could help her." Roy looked at Ellie who was sitting on a small chair by herself. He sighed. "Well, you should know that Elizabeth's mother left us just a few days after she was born –" Riza gasped, not expecting to hear such a personal matter. "OH. Oh, I'm _so_ sorry for prying." She apologized sincerely. Roy smiled and reassured her. "Nah, it's not really prying when I'm saying it to you directly and on my own will. Anyway, she left us, not in a sense that she's dead, she just walked out of the door and literally _left._ So, it's just been me and Ellie since then and I guess this kind of environment is so new to her. I feel guilty because I barely let her out to play with other kids. She'll probably start opening up after a few more weeks, she's just a little shy."

"I see. That was all I needed to know. Thank you, Mr. Mustang. And I'll try to help Elizabeth as much as I can." She was about to turn around and walk away when Roy spoke once more. "Thank you and you're welcome and...uhh, if you ever...uhm...need anything please don't hesitate to call me." He handed her his card. "Oh, thank you. I will." She smiled at him and Roy swore his heart was beating like there was no tomorrow. Roy gained his courage and asked, "One last thing, can I have your number for...uhh, when, you know, there are emergencies. If that's okay with you, that is." _CRAP_. He expected her to shove him and report him to the authorities but she just smiled again. "Sure, I don't really mind. Let me just get my phone, I'm afraid I might give you a wrong number if I base it off my mind." She laughed and so did Roy. When she left to get her phone, Roy sighed and tried to calm himself. The whole day has been one big emotional roller coaster for him.

* * *

After tucking Ellie in, Roy called Maes. He picked up right away. "Hughes." He said. "Mustang, my man. Waddup?" Roy exhaled. "Is it wrong to find my child's teacher attractive?" Maes snickered at what he just heard. "Well, you're the lawyer, you would know what's illegal or not. However, personally speaking, I don't see how it's wrong. We _are_ just human you know, it's not like we can control who we find attractive or not. I mean, she is a _10_ for you, right?" Roy groaned. "You should know that I don't like rating women, Maes. She is beautiful though, I can give you that but it was more than that. She asked me about Ellie because she was going to try to help her to be more sociable and stuff." He said. "Urgh, don't get too cheesy on me, ple–OH! OH! OH! I get it!" Maes suddenly shouted. "Get what?" Roy asked. "Why you like her!" He responded. "Uhh...okaaay, why?" Roy asked once more. "Because she cared about Ellie _first_ and not you. Which is a shocker for your little boy heart because with all your damn charm and intelligence, women usually only pay attention to _you_ first. But with her case, she asked about Ellie and not you! It's like a slap on your face because she didn't give a damn about you. Oh, my goodness, this will be good. YOU. ARE. ABOUT. TO GET WRECKED. ROY MUSTANG!" Roy sighed. "Are you kidding me? If that's the case then maybe I should just hit on Ellie's pediatrician. Geez, Maes. I can't explain why I like her. I just do. And not just because she's beautiful. Don't get me wrong, she's _beautiful_ but I've slept with prettier girls when I was in college."

"See? You figured it out by yourself. She's beautiful and not just pretty. Those are two very different concepts which couldn't be explained by words. Anyway, I will support you with all my heart if you want to continue this. I won't help you with money because I know you don't need financial help." Maes said. Roy chuckled. "You're crazy. Anyway, thanks. Wish me luck." He answered. "Luck is for suckers. Give it all you've got. Bye." Maes hung up and Roy was left staring at the ceiling of his room. "Maybe, I'll forget about her if I go to sleep." He thought out loud.

* * *

A/N: Finally, Riza! I hope you'll enjoy it! And please don't overanalyze things in this story, it's an AU. Haha. Anyway, I know this won't be an excuse but, English isn't my first language (it's like my 5th lol) so, if you ever encounter a grammatical mistake please don't poke fun at me, instead, please correct me, it would be deeply appreciated.

What are your thoughts on this chapter? It sure was fun to write.

And shoutout to Hirude! Thank you for the review! I hope you like this one too! :D


	3. Chapter III - Burdens

**CHAPTER III**

 _Burdens_

"Rebecca?" Riza spoke through the phone, listening to Rebecca as she yawned. "Riza, do you know what time it is?" Rebecca asked her with a serious tone. However, Riza just continued talking. "I need your opinion on something." As grateful as Rebecca was that Riza thinks that her opinions mattered, she needed to know better than to call people at such a devilish hour. So she asked her again, this time, louder. "Riza, DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?!" Her almost-screaming voice made Riza jump a bit. Riza took a peep at her electronic alarm clock which flashed the time. "3:15." She finally answered. "AM, RIZA! A.M.!" Rebecca said just to clarify things. That made Riza apologetic. "I'm sorry, Becky. It's just that something has been bothering me." Rebecca sighed and asked, "What is it?"

Riza was thankful that Rebecca didn't hang up on her after she apologized. So she went on to share her burden with her.

" _Well, I have this student I want to help and have regular home consultations with but..."_

 _"_ _But what?"_

 _"_ _See, the thing is she lives with her father and she doesn't have a mother. So her dad is basically a bachelor, right? And I don't–"_

 _"_ _Is he handsome?"_

 _"_ _By your standards? I guess so?"_

 _"_ _How about yours?"_

 _"_ _Sort of."_

 _"_ _I'll take that as a yes. Did you happen to see his shoes?"_

 _"_ _What? Shoes? Why?"_

 _"_ _Just answer the damn question, Riza!"_

 _"_ _No, I didn't happen to look at his shoes. But, Beck–"_

 _"_ _That's so you, so oblivious. You know what they say about men with big feet."_

 _"_ _Gross. Anyway, do you think it will be okay if I visited her like once a month at least? Or would people get the wrong idea?"_

 _"_ _Heh, pay no attention to what they think. Do your thing, I mean you always do that. And it's not like you're after him, right?"_

 _"_ _No."_

 _"_ _Well, why are you up at 3 am thinking about it?"_

 _"_ _I just felt really sorry for the child. Always alone, doesn't talk too much, very shy at her age. I've been teaching at the Kindergarten for 4 years and it's actually the first time I felt so sorry for a child. And I know exactly how growing up without a mother feels like. It just..."_

 _"_ _Reminds you of yourself when you were younger?"_

 _"_ _Yeah."_

 _"_ _Sleep it off, Ri. Everything will be better in the morning. I'll call you again tomorrow. Night."_

Riza was left staring at her phone screen which still flashed Rebecca's number and photo. Pondering on Rebecca's words, Riza realized she was probably right. Sleeping might take her mind off it, she might actually feel better in the morning.

* * *

"Morning, daddy." Ellie stood at Roy's bedside; looking at her father who haven't even opened his eyes yet. Upon hearing her voice though, Roy's eyes shot open. Ever since Ellie was born, Roy has been a very light sleeper. "Hey, princess. You're up early." He planted a kiss on her cheek and sat at the edge of the bed. "Someone's at the door, daddy." Ellie said and ran outside. _This early? Who could it be?_

Roy got up and looked at the mirror, just to check if he looked _decent_. After that, he speed walked to the door. "Who is it?" He asked. "It's Jillian!" _Of course, who else could it be?_ "Can you open up already? I have like 2 bags of groceries here!" Without any more hesitation, Roy opened the door; just to be greeted by Jillian's complaints as she made her way towards the kitchen. "ROY! Where were you?! I have been ringing the doorbell for almost 5 minutes!" Jillian stopped at the living room to give Ellie a kiss on the top of her head. "Morning, Ellie. I'll be back. I'll just talk to your dad for a bit." Jillian continued her ranting. "It's 8:30, Roy! Did Ellie even have breakfast yet? God, seriously!" Roy closed the door and followed her. "Good morning to you too, Jill." He muttered under his breath.

" _Oversleeping!_ When your 4 year-old daughter hasn't even had breakfast yet!" Jillian nagged as she fried some eggs for breakfast. (More like brunch.) Roy sat on one of the kitchen stools and apologized to his sister, though he thought it should be Ellie he should be apologizing to. "Sorry, I was just doing some research for a case." She served the eggs on a white plate and placed it on the table. "Good grief, Roy! You need a woman around this house." Roy rolled his eyes and groaned. "Ugh, you sound like Maes. What is up with you people forcing me to date?!" Jillian glared at him.

"I didn't say you should date someone. You could like, hire a maid or a nanny or something."

"That's even worse!"

"Then find someone who could help you with...with all this, Roy. Swallow your pride. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for Ellie."

Roy heaved a sigh. "How many women do you know would date a man with a child of his own?" Jillian fell quiet. "Exactly." Roy said in a matter-of-factly tone and buried his face on his hands. "I'm sure there are a lot of women who would date a man with a child of his own. You just haven't found her yet." He sat straight as Jillian stood beside him. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders. She then leaned her head on his head. "I just don't want you to go around hurting yourself, okay? You may have a child of your own but you're _still_ my baby brother and I can't stand to see you hurting anymore." Roy couldn't help but smile. Jillian might be a nagger but she sure helps Roy a lot.

* * *

Jillian was just about to finish cleaning up after breakfast when the doorbell rang. "Roy! Door!" She shouted upon hearing the doorbell. Roy came running from Ellie's room, carrying her in his arms. "Who is it?" He asked before opening the door. Expecting that it was his mother, Roy was surprised to hear someone else's voice. "It's Riza Hawkeye, Mr. Mustang."

Not even a second later, Roy immediately opened the door for her. "Teacher!" Ellie shouted as soon as she saw Riza. Riza smiled and greeted them. "Good morning, Ellie. Good morning, Mr. Mustang. Would you mind if I visited you for a bit?" Roy's mouth was open like he was about to say something but froze. Roy looked at her; _Riza was definitely beautiful on a regular day but she looked even more beautiful now, standing outside their door,_ _ **outside**_ – Roy snapped out of his daze and invited her inside. "Oh, yeah, I mean no, we don't mind, of...of course, p-please come in." _GOD DAMN IT, ROY._

Riza stepped inside the house, actually surprised at how clean the place looked. Roy led her to the living room. "Please, have a seat." He said and gestured toward the couch. She put Ellie down and the little girl immediately ran towards Riza. Ellie sat beside her and looked her in the eyes, saying, "You look so pretty today, teacher. You look like a doll." Riza giggled. "You're prettier, Ellie."

Roy sat on a chair across them and smiled at Ellie. "Ellie, Teacher Riza came to visit us. Aren't you glad she did?" Ellie smiled widely and nodded. No words were needed, her smile said it all. Riza stroked Ellie's dark hair then proceeded to look at Roy. "If you wouldn't mind, Mr. Mustang, I would like to visit Ellie at least once or twice a month. I see a lot of potential for her and I also would like to help her develop some of her skills. That is, if it's okay with you."

Ellie's eyes widened but didn't say anything. Just as Roy was about to answer, Jillian walked in to the living room. "Roy, the milk..." Jillian stopped on her tracks when she saw Riza. "Riza! Long time no see!" She walked towards Riza and Riza stood up to meet her with a hug. "Jillian! I didn't expect to see you here." Jillian sat beside her, on the opposite side of where Ellie was still seated. Riza couldn't help but think of what Jillian's relationship was with Roy and it was giving her unpleasant feelings. _Snap out of it, Riza._ As Riza's thoughts wandered, Jillian spoke again. "I was just visiting Roy and Ellie. Oh, I forgot to tell you, Roy here is my brother. Little brother, to be exact." Riza was so surprised that she took a look at Roy then looked at Jillian again. _There was definitely a resemblance._ Riza felt so stupid but she was also relieved for some reason; for a moment there she thought their relationship was something else.

"I see. I could really see the resemblance now." She smiled at her. "Anyway, I just came by here to ask Mr. Mustang if it's okay if I visited Ellie like I did with Max when he was in Kindergarten too." Jillian fixed her eyes at Roy. "Roy, you gotta say yes to Riza's offer, she really helped Max a lot." Without a moment's hesitation, Roy nodded. He was going to say yes and now, with Jillian's encouragement, he was even more positive. "Yeah, that would be great. Anything for Ellie."

"It's decided then. I'll come by again next Saturday to start the consultations." Riza said in a joyous tone as they all came to an agreement.

* * *

That night, after Roy finished reading a bedtime story to her, Ellie – who was seated on her father's lap – asked him something. "Daddy?" She said in a hushed tone. "Yes?" Roy answered back as he gently rocked her to sleep. "Can Teacher Riza be my mommy?" Surprised at such a question, Roy didn't know what to say, so he blurted out a short, "What?" She responded calmly, not understanding that Roy's 'what' was rhetorical. "Can Teacher Riza be my mommy? She's really kind and she helps me and my classmates a lot too. I really like her." Ellie's eyes lit up as she talked. Roy thought it was amusing to hear Ellie say something like that. He has never seen her adore someone like this, except him, before. "Uh, aren't Aunt Jill, Aunt Rachel and Gramma like mommies to you too?" He asked her, in the hopes that she would agree with him. But Ellie shook her head slowly. "No, because Aunt Jill is Max's mommy then...then Aunt Rachel is Cousin Victor and Cousin Emma's mommy and Gramma is daddy's mommy." Roy thought his heart was literally going to get broken then and there. There was nothing more painful than hearing her say those words. Still, he kept his composure and comforted her; careful not to promise her anything just yet. Sure, he liked Riza, probably more than he should, but he was certain Riza was all professional and would never see him as more than Ellie's father. "Well, I...I'll see what I can do about it, okay? But for now, my princess would have to go to sleep." He said as he kissed her forehead. "I love you, daddy. Good night." She kissed him on the right cheek. "I love you, princess. Sleep well."

* * *

A/N: Heyo, thank you for the kind words on your reviews. Believe it or not, it motivates me so much. Anyway, this chapter is definitely one of my favorites. I hope you would enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. :)


	4. Chapter IV - Plans

**CHAPTER IV**

 _Plans_

Roy could've sworn that Maes just went by to his office just to _pester_ him. Without any call or notice, he waltz in to Roy's office with two paper bags in his hands. There was nothing Roy could do, so they went to the closest coffee shop and spent their lunch breaks there.

"Hmm, so you're serious about it?" Maes asked while he stroked his chin. Roy took a bite off the cheeseburger that Maes brought and nodded. He had just finished telling Maes about his plans to woo Riza. "Are you sure it's not just because Ellie likes her that you like her too?" Maes asked. Roy shook his head. "Of course not, I would know if that's the case. Maybe it's a contributing factor but it's not the absolute reason." Maes seemed to be satisfied with Roy's answer. "I see. Well, I hope you still have your _modus operandi_ from the old days." He joked.

Roy almost spit out the soda in his mouth. "Are you kidding? I basically just take one look at a girl and do some sweet talking back in the 'old days.'" Roy laughed. Maes snickered. "Then?" Roy just smirked and said, "Then I get laid." They hi-fived after that. Still, Roy continued to tell him more about his feelings. "I don't want to do those things to her. I want to like...like take her to dinner, maybe even buy stuff for her. I want to show her there's more to me than meets the eye. It's so weird coz I don't even just want to have sex with her. I just...how do I put this - I honestly _do_ want to have sex with her but it's just not my priority anymore. I guess my views have changed." Roy said seriously. A gasp escaped Maes' mouth as he pointed a finger at Roy. "Oh, my goodness! You're not the Roy I know! Who the fuck are you and what did you to Roy?!" Roy jokingly punched him in the arm. "You're an idiot, Maes."

* * *

It has been two months since Riza started having regular visits with Ellie and the progress was great. Ellie, who used to like being solitary, started to be more social and playful. Riza's work was just about done.

Another school day has ended, Riza stood by the door as she watched the children being picked up by their parents. She would wave goodbye at them before they left. It was thirty minutes past four, usually, every child would've been picked up at this time, but Riza noticed that one student was still waiting to be picked up. It was Ellie. Ellie sat on one of the swings, swinging herself using her small feet. Riza came over to her and sat at the other swing. "Hey, Ellie. Your daddy's not here yet?" Ellie just shook her head. "No, teacher." She answered; her voice cracked like she was about to cry. Riza looked at her worriedly. "It's okay. I'm going to call your dad, okay?"

Riza scrolled through her contacts to find Roy's number. As soon as she did, she dialed it. It kept ringing until it finally said that the number can't be reached. Riza kept trying, thinking it was odd even for Roy to be this late to pick his daughter up.

At Riza's fifth attempt to call Roy's phone, a car came speeding up and abruptly stopped in the parking lot. It was Roy. He came running out from the car and walked towards the playground where Ellie and Riza waited. Roy stooped down to pick Ellie up. Ellie cried on his shoulder. "Daddy, I thought you forgot about me." Riza got up from the swing and looked at them. Roy ran his free hand along Ellie's back, trying to comfort his crying daughter. "I'm so sorry, Ellie. I would never forget about you. Daddy just went grocery shopping for dinner but then got stuck in traffic." Ellie straightened up in Roy's arms, Roy then grabbed his handkerchief and wiped off her tears.

Ellie looked at Roy then looked at Riza who stood just a few steps away from where they were standing. "You should say sorry to teacher too." Ellie said in a more commanding tone than a requesting one. Riza was taken aback, an apology wasn't exactly necessary considering that it was her job to take care of her students and making sure they were safe. "No, no, it's okay, sweetie. Your father doesn't have to a – " She hadn't even finished her sentence when Roy spoke to her. "I'm sorry that I kept you waiting too, Miss Hawkeye." Roy said apologetically. Riza just smiled and accepted his apology. "Apology accepted. Just try not to do it again for Ellie's sake, Mr. Mustang." Roy nodded. "I'll try not to. Anyway, Miss Hawkeye, would you like to join me and Ellie for dinner tonight? Think of it as my peace offering."

The day was just full of surprises for Riza. Ellie also seemed to like the idea very much. "Please say yes, teacher. It would be really fun. And daddy cooks really delicious food too." Riza took into consideration her schedule. It was Friday and she didn't really have plans except to call Rebecca later in the night. After thinking about it, Riza finally responded, "Sure, I'd love to."

* * *

As Roy prepared dinner, Ellie and Riza also stayed in the kitchen with him to keep him company. Riza did offer to help but Roy insisted that she was a guest and that she should just be relaxing. Ellie sat on the kitchen table and Riza was seated in a stool in front of her; holding her in place so she wouldn't fall. "Daddy, is dinner ready yet?" She asked. "Almost." He replied.

Riza knows a lot of men who could cook well so it came as no surprise to her that Roy could cook well but she realized maybe Roy had to learn how to cook considering the fact that he had a child to take care of on his own. The dinner wasn't as awkward as Riza had expected it to be. She may have visited their place from time to time but it was the first time she shared a meal with them.

Riza also didn't expect Roy to be the chatty type but he was; and that made her feel comfortable. He made her feel like she was an old friend that he always knew and not just his daughter's teacher. "Wow, my compliments to the chef." Riza joked as she finished up the last of her food. She was comfortable enough with Roy to joke around with him. "Chef says he's looking forward to the next time he'll cook for the lady." Roy responded in an undertone. Riza felt her heart beat faster, she must've even blushed a little. _What the hell, Riza?!_ She thought as she mentally slapped herself.

* * *

After dinner was over, Riza stayed a little bit longer upon Ellie's request. It was getting quite late so Roy asked Ellie to get ready for bed. "Go on, Ellie. Teacher has to go home, you have to get ready for bed too." Instead of getting ready though, Ellie walked over to Roy and asked enthusiastically, "Daddy, can Teacher tuck me in tonight?" Roy raised an eyebrow at her. "Ellie, don't you think we've bothered teacher Riza too much today?" He said, causing Ellie to look down, clearly disappointed. Riza saw Ellie and immediately said, "Oh, no. It's okay. I really don't mind. I live close by anyway. It's not much trouble." Roy looked at her with a surprised look. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want you to put things on hold for us." Roy said. "Oh, I'll just tuck her in, Mr. Mustang. It won't take long." She replied. Ellie then smiled and held Riza's hand.

Roy sighed, there was no arguing with Riza's decision. Before they went to the room, Roy asked Ellie one more question. "Can daddy come and kiss you goodnight though?" Ellie thought of it for a few seconds then shook her head. "No, daddy. You can kiss me here now." She let go of Riza's hand and walked closer to him. Roy crouched and hugged her tightly. "Good night, princess. I love you. And don't ask Teacher Riza so many questions like you do with me. We don't want her to stay out too late, okay?" He kissed her on the forehead which caused her to giggle. "I won't, daddy. I love you. Good night."

* * *

More than thirty minutes have passed and Roy was starting to wonder what was taking Riza so long to tuck Ellie in. He had just finished washing the dishes; he looked at the clock. It was 9:53. He decided to check in on them, Ellie must still be asking Riza so many questions. Roy opened the door to Ellie's room quietly. What he wasn't what he expected at all; there he saw that both Ellie and Riza were already sleeping peacefully. Riza fell asleep sitting with her back leaned on the headboard and Ellie's head on her lap. He looked at them, wondering if this is how it would look like if they do end up together. _No, it would be the three of us there if we end up together,_ he thought. He shook his head to make his fantasies go away then proceeded to take Ellie and laid her properly on the bed, careful not to make a sound as he covered her with a blanket. Riza didn't even move a bit.

After that, Roy made his way back to his room to open up the door. He came back to Ellie's room and slowly picked up Riza in his arms. As he did, Riza let out a low groan; Roy's eyes widened, afraid that Riza might wake up and kill him then and there for touching her. However, she didn't, she was still sleeping soundly. Roy was relieved, he walked back slowly to his bedroom, taking caution as to not slip while carrying Riza. There, he lay her down gently and covered her with his blankets. He looked at her for a few seconds, as if memorizing every detail on her face. He then realized that _she was beautiful in so many ways than one._ He removed the pins that held her hair up, placed them on the nightstand and lightly ran his fingers through her blonde hair. "Good night, Riza." He whispered.

* * *

A/N: I have a knack for updating during midnight. Oh, this chapter contains mild inappropriate language and mature topics. Whaaaat?! Anyhow, I hope you all would like this!


	5. Chapter V - Pasts

**CHAPTER V**

 _Pasts_

Riza cried as the man forcefully removed her clothes. Her hands were bound together and were tied to the bedpost above her head. Riza, with all the force left on her, tried to kick him off but he won't even budge. "You're my girlfriend and you will do what I want you to." He said when he finally removed all of Riza's clothing. She screamed loudly, hoping someone would come and help her get away from this _monster._

Riza woke up screaming. She sat and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand as soon as she realized that she had another nightmare. _A nightmare when I don't even recall going to bed._ Just as she was about to think of where she was, Roy opened up the door to the room, a look of panic was obvious in his eyes. "I heard screaming. I went to Ellie but she was still sleeping, so it couldn't have been her. Are you alright, Riza? Er, I mean, Miss Hawkeye?"

Riza was embarrassed beyond words. She buried her face in her hands and spoke almost unintelligibly. "I'm sorry." Roy sat beside her, with still enough distance so she wouldn't think he was taking advantage of her. "What's wrong, Miss Hawkeye?" He said out of concern. Riza removed her hands from her face and looked at Roy. How ironic, she thought, when she was dreaming about a monster but woke up to see a knight in shining armor in front of her instead. She tried her best to smile at him. "Please, it's Riza. You can call me Riza when it's just us." (See what I did there?)

Roy gave her a comforting smile. "And it's Roy. By the way, in case you're wondering why you're in my room, you...uhh, kinda fell asleep when you tucked Ellie in. I, uhm, carried you all the way here and don't fret, I slept on the couch in the living room." Riza couldn't help but laugh slightly. _She asked for help and it came in the form of Roy._ "Sorry I woke you up, Roy. And I'm so sorry I fell asleep here in the first place." Riza looked at him, feeling sincerely sorry. This man must've been really tired from work all day and he might have been looking forward to sleep peacefully in the night. Yet, she had to disturb even that. However, Roy just shook his head and grinned at her. "Don't worry because believe it or not, I love sleeping in the couch." They shared a laugh at what he said.

Riza scooted over and patted the space beside her; Roy didn't hesitate, he sat beside her. They were seated so closely that Roy suddenly felt cold and nervous. _What am I?! 10 years old?!_

It was quiet, the kind that makes Roy uncomfortable sometimes. So he started to share with Riza. "Vanessa." Riza looked at him, confused at the mention of the name. Roy continued, "Ellie's mom." Riza let out a small 'oh' and leaned her back against the headboard again. "She left us just a few days after getting out of the hospital. See, we didn't live together. So, one day, she left Ellie with me, she said she was just going to buy some stuff for her but she never returned. I waited, called her a hundred times but she never picked up. Looked for her everywhere; turns out she left the country that very day. That's when it hit me; she wanted revenge and she thought leaving Ellie in my care would be the best revenge for forcing her not to abort the child." Roy sighed. "It was painful, you know. I realized she was never coming back not even for our daughter's sake. I told my mother about what happened, she asked me what I was going to do. I said, I'm going to raise Ellie by myself. Vanessa thought I was going to be devastated if I were to raise Ellie alone but I'm not. Of course there were times when I felt like giving up and I just want to jump off a building or something. But, I knew better than to leave Ellie too. I love my daughter way too much that sometimes I ask myself why Vanessa had the heart to abandon her."

Riza just looked at him with sad eyes; not knowing what to say. Still, she tried her best to comfort him. "You're a good father, Roy. Not a lot of men would've done what you did. You raised Ellie to be such a kind and sweet girl. You've accomplished that." He smiled at her. "Thank you though I wouldn't take all the credit. My mom and sisters did help me. And you; thanks for being there for Ellie. You're a great person. She even said she wants to be like you when she grows up." Riza sat straight, faced him and laughed at what he just said. "A kindergarten teacher?" Absentmindedly, Roy reached out his hand, slowly pushed some stray hair from her face and tucked it behind her left ear. "Probably. But what she said was; 'I want to be kind and pretty like her."

Riza looked down to hide her blushing face. It has been years since she went out with someone and this has been the first time in years that her heart beat so fast. She felt so embarrassed by the fact that she was acting like a sixteen year old; and with the father of her student too. "Riza." She snapped back to reality when she heard Roy's voice call for her. "Yes, Roy?"

"I hope you know that you really are an amazing woman and I am very grateful that Ellie has someone like you to look up to." He stopped and smiled. "I really don't mind if she grows up to be like you. If she would, then I would have a lot of boys to fend off." Riza couldn't help but smile at what he said. "Now you're just teasing." She said in response.

He loved it. Being awake in the dead of the night and talking and sharing a few laughs with Riza. If he were still the same man from before, they wouldn't be laughing and talking; they would be making out and, well, you know what comes after that. Everything was going well until Riza suddenly quieted down and said his name. "Roy." Roy looked at her. "Yes?" He responded. "I need to tell you something. Can I trust you?" She said as she leaned her head against his right shoulder.

Roy was taken aback; his heartbeat sped up about two times its normal rhythm. Here they were, the woman he just so adores leaning against his shoulder, at almost 2 A.M. too. "Of course, Riza." He responded.

Maybe it was the quietness and the stillness of the room that made her suddenly feel the urge to tell him about her deepest, darkest secret. Still, she thought it would be only fair if she told him her past too. After all, he did share his past with her. She didn't look up at him, she just leaned against his shoulder. "I screamed because of a nightmare." She scoffed. "Funny, right?"

Roy, feeling more confident now, wrapped his right arm around her shoulders. "It's not. I know full well how nightmares could feel so realistic sometimes." Riza then continued, "Well, two years ago, I had this abusive boyfriend. I lived with him for a couple of months. At first his brutalities were tolerable. I would...I would come home after school, only to get slapped and punched and kicked if I arrived home later than 5:00 PM." Tears trickled down her face but she wiped them off. Roy listened, pained by the fact that she was abused like that when he wanted to treat her like a queen. "One day, though, I came home at around 6:00 coz I had this meeting with my superiors. I tried to explain it to him but he was drunk and wouldn't listen." At that point, Riza couldn't stop her tears anymore. She cried and Roy held her close to his chest, hoping it would somehow ease her pain. However, she proceeded to tell him about her past. "That night, he tied me up to our bed, literally ripped the clothes off me and just...raped me for what felt like hours-hellish hours. At that time, I just wanted to die, you know. He was a monster, a demon in my eyes. Fortunately, our neighbors heard me screaming and they alerted the authorities. He was tried and got sent to prison and I stayed in my father's place for about a few months. Which, by the way, also included my frequent trips to the psychiatrist. Then, I decided I wanted to teach at the Kindergarten again. The school gladly accepted me back. Now, I realized the nightmares will never stop and I just have to live with it till I die."

Roy was speechless, he had a tough past but Riza's was worse. He held her closer, closing his eyes as he tried to take it all in. He was furious but he kept it all to himself. If Riza needed anything now, it wasn't another angry man, she just needed somebody who she could share her pains with. It must've been very hard for her to tell him all that. "Riza, I...I don't know what to say." Riza sat up and held his face so he was looking right at her. "You don't have to say anything." She kept her hand on his cheek as Roy wiped her tears away with his hand. For what seemed like hours, they looked each other in the eye until Roy leaned in closer to her and kissed her lips. Riza was stunned, her eyes widened. Yet, she gave in and kissed him back. She closed her eyes and kissed him passionately. Both their hearts beating out of their chests.

Roy gently laid her down as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She tangled her hands in his soft, black hair. Roy was on top of her, his one arm placed just above her head as he used the other to gently hold her nape. They parted to breathe for a few seconds but continued right back. Their breathing became ragged as they continued making out.

Roy honestly thought that they were going to do it but he stopped himself. He pulled off from the kiss and just stared at Riza's amber eyes. She was just as surprised as he was. So he kissed her deeply one more time before he sat back up on the bed. Riza did too and hugged him from behind, her arms loosely wrapped around his stomach. "Sorry, Riza. I didn't mean to." He buried his face in his hands. "Oh, God, I'm an idiot. I hope you'd forgive me." Roy faced Riza and embraced her; breathing in her hair that faintly smelled of strawberries.

"It's alright, you're not an idiot. Don't dwell on it too much." She smiled at him as they ended their embrace. Roy got up from his bed, still holding Riza's hand. "I'm gonna...uh, have to go back to the couch, okay? Are you gonna be okay here?" She nodded. He kissed her forehead and made his way back to the living room where he would spend the remaining few hours of the night thinking about what just happened.

* * *

Needless to say, neither Roy nor Riza fell back asleep after what happened in the room. It was all so sudden and unexpected. At five, Roy got up and decided to prepare breakfast early. He made his way to the kitchen. He collected the ingredients he needed to cook Ellie's favorite food: pancakes.

He was just mixing the batter for the pancakes when Riza came out from his room. He was greeted by her with a smile on her face. "Hi." She said almost shyly. Roy stopped mixing the batter to give her his full attention. "Hey, good morning. Uhm, did you sleep well?" Riza shook her head, she couldn't lie. "I didn't get any sleep after I woke up from the nightmare." Roy's guilt weighed in on him again. Riza told him her burden yet all he did was let his inner pervert take the lead. "Uh, I really am sorry about earlier."

Riza walked over to where he stood. She then went on tiptoes and reached for his lips and kissed him then and there. Roy had no time to be surprised, he wanted it. So he kissed her back, placing his hands on her hips. After breaking their kiss, Riza told him, "Sorry, I used a little bit of your mouthwash in the bathroom." She laughed. _No wonder she tasted familiar._

* * *

A/N: Another chapter! Shoutout to the people who never forget to review! *blows virtual kisses* Anyway, this chapter is...well, chapter five. Personally, I know what being awake with someone at almost 2 A.M. feels like. It honestly brings out your deepest, darkest secrets. That is, of course, if you're not focused on your gadgets like you (and I) are probably doing now. Okay, time to say goodbye! If you could, please leave a review or follow or favorite. But if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all. Ps editing using a phone is so hard. Ughh


	6. Chapter VI - Us

**CHAPTER VI**

 _Us_

"Are you gonna go before Ellie wakes up?" Roy asked as he sat in front of Riza who was eating some of the pancakes he cooked. With her mouth full, all she could do was nod. Roy smiled at her and said, "Okay, let me at least walk you to your car. After you eat, of course."

* * *

The street was still empty on that Saturday morning. Riza had slipped on her jacket, which Roy insisted she should wear 'coz it was cold and he didn't want her to get sick or something like that. Riza, as confused as she was, still conformed to his request. They walked towards the sidewalk side by side, their bodies only a few inches apart.

Finally, they arrived at her car, it was parked just behind his. They stood beside it. "Thanks, Roy." Riza said in the sincerest way she could. "When can I see you again though?" He asked. "Well," she started, "I'll be back next Saturday. I still have to visit Ellie." Roy frowned. "Just Ellie?" Riza laughed, which made Roy laugh too. "What?" He asked, still laughing slightly. Riza stopped herself and just smiled. "Nothing. And yeah, I'll come visit you too." Roy took on a serious tone. "Riza, I know I was a moron last night. What I did was so...stupid and insensitive. But I am willing to prove to you that you can trust me. That I can do more to help you in the best way that I can." Riza was surprised, he was _definitely_ asking her out. "Hey, stop worrying. I told you not to dwell on it." She sighed. "And about...uhm, about us. Maybe, we can wait until Ellie's out of my class 'till we like, go out and see each other more often. I wouldn't want other parents to think that I'm giving Ellie special treatment just because her dad's my boyfriend."

 _Boyfriend?!_ Roy was happy, surprised and excited at the same time. "Oh, so you're...you're really...my girlfriend now?" Riza grinned. "That is if you want to." Roy gasped. "Wow, I'm speechless." Riza took his hand and held it. She looked at him quite seductively. "You know for a lawyer, you run out of words pretty often." With that, he leaned in and moved his face closer to hers. "Only when I'm in the presence of someone as astounding as you." He closed the distance between them and kissed her, pushing her gently to the side of her car.

After the kiss, Riza blushed like crazy, her heartbeat was erratic and the butterflies in her stomach went wild. It was strange to think that a few hours ago, they were just friends. She squeezed Roy's hand which she was still holding and told him, "But we're gonna have some limits if we want to make this work. Like at the Kindergarten. Act, you know, natural. And in front of Ellie too. You should still address me as Ms. Hawkeye." Roy let out a low grumble with his face looking like a troubled puppy. "But I love you and I want to show the whole world just that. Especially Ellie. She's gonna love it. You have no idea how many times she's asked me if you could be her mom."

Riza was very flattered, she pinched his cheeks and said, "Aww, you're just as adorable as she is. And I love you too but come on, Roy. It's only a few months from now." Roy just sighed and kissed her hand. "Okay, if that's what Miss Hawkeye says, then I'll do it."

* * *

"YOU _**WHAT**_ NOW?!" Rebecca shouted loudly. Riza had invited her over as soon as she got home. "Calm down, Becky." Riza said in a hushed tone, contrasting Rebecca's loudness. "Sorry but...I AM SO **_SHOOK_**. How would he react if he knew about the...you know, ex-boyfriend?" She asked with concern. Riza looked away from her and leaned her back on the sofa. "He already does. I told him. It's kinda how it all started." Rebecca's mouth gaped open. "Oh, _wow_. You really trust him, don't you? That man's lucky. I mean, like a _shit ton_ of men are probably after you but you chose him; a guy with a child." Riza smiled, more to herself than to Rebecca. "Because he's different and I have so much respect towards him." Rebecca raised an eyebrow and asked, "Really? Why?" A frown formed on Riza's face. "Do you know how difficult it is to raise a child? Especially on your own? And be a lawyer at the same time too? I just admire him for all that. He's just amazing. Not to mention his cooking skills and that _goddamn_ face of his." She paused for a few seconds then continued, "And also, how he still accepted me after I told him about my past. I expected him to be like disgusted or something but no, he wasn't. He was very...sympathetic."

Rebecca looked at her with a grin on her face. Playfully raising her eyebrows at her, expecting something juicy from her friend. "Tell me just how _**sympathetic**_ he was then." Riza scoffed. "No can do. That's a night for me to remember and for you not to know at all." Rebecca gasped as dirty thoughts filled her mind. She was funny that way in Riza's opinion. "Oh, dear God, dear Lord, please tell me you didn't do it with him?!" Riza threw a pillow at her which directly hit her in the face. "Is that how you really see me, Becky? And for the record, we didn't. People nowadays!" Riza chuckled, knowing Rebecca was just trying to make her laugh.

* * *

After Riza left at around 6:30, Roy decided to call Jillian. He thought not telling Jill was just wrong. If anyone deserved to know it first, it was her. She did suggest enrolling Ellie in Riza's class after all. Roy stood by the window in the living room. Glancing at nothing in particular as he waited for her to pick up. After a few rings, she finally answered.

" _Hey, Jill."_

" _Roy, hi!"_

" _I probably should call Maes but I might as well tell you first."_

" _I have no idea what you're talking about."_

Roy took one deep breath and said it directly.

" _I'm dating Riza."_

" _Are you serious?!"_

" _No, I'm Roy."_

" _Roy! I don't have time for your dad jokes!"_

" _Chill, Jill. And yeah, seriously, we're dating now. And don't worry, we don't intend on going public yet. We'll wait 'till Ellie's out of her class."_

Jillian was quiet for a few seconds but Roy could still her breathing. So she couldn't have had a heart attack and died, he thought.

" _Jill? You okay?"_

" _I wanna cry."_

" _Wait, what? Why? Do you hate Riza that much?"_

" _No, you idiot brother! I LOVE RIZA THAT'S WHY I'M TEARING UP! And you're in love with her. Oh, my goodness. After almost 5 years. Oh, I'm really crying now. I can't keep my shit together. Should I tell mom?"_

" _Uhm, please don't. I'll tell her. I guess I'd have Riza over and introduce her to mom formally. She is coming back to see Ellie next Saturday."_

" _Ooh! Me too! Me too! I'll come too! I'll drive mom to your place! No problem! You're welcome!"_

" _Creep. Okay, then. I'll see you guys next Saturday."_

" _See ya."_

Roy was extremely happy. The day was barely even starting yet things have been going his way. He received an E-mail which informed him of an emergency meeting. It made him disappointed but he was still mostly happy.

Ellie woke up a few minutes after he hung up on Jill. Her eyes were still kind of droopy as she greeted her father who was just serving up some pancakes for her. "Morning, daddy." She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Finally! My princess wakes up from her slumber." He picked her up and kissed her cheeks. "Go on, eat up and we'll get you ready. I'm going to drop you off to Grandma's. Daddy has an emergency meeting today. Are you okay with that?" Ellie nodded. As soon as she did, Roy let her down and she went on to eat her breakfast.

* * *

"Grandma!" Ellie's little red dress flowed gently as she ran off to hug her grandmother who was standing by the porch. Roy followed not far behind. "Hello, Elizabeth. What a beautiful dress that is. Come on in." Roy's mother – Rose – held Ellie's hand as soon as she was close enough to her. Rose was fairly short, to which Roy blamed his lack of height. He was 5'8" but he always wished he could grow even a little bit taller. Rose's hair was still mostly dark, except for a few grey strands here and there, it was almost completely black. It reached down to her shoulder blades. Her eyes were hazel, far too different from Roy's dark brown - almost black - eyes.

The moment they all got inside Roy went to his mother and kissed her on the cheek. "Hi, mom." Rose looked at him. "Look at you with your silly eyeglasses. I haven't seen those in a while. You look so much like your father when you have them on. Get your eyes regularly checked, okay? You youngsters don't know how to take care of your eyes." Roy smiled. "Yes, mom. Anyway, I'll try to pick Ellie up, uh, before lunch I guess?"

She shook her head and held him by the shoulders. "Oh, Roy. I'll just prepare enough for all of us. Just call if anything changes." He nodded. "Okay. And, mom, one more thing. Please. _PLEASE_. I beg you, don't feed Ellie too much sweets. She complained of a toothache the last time she came here. I asked her what she ate, she told me you gave her candies and cookies." He said looking sincerely worried. Rose laughed. "I'm sorry. But you know how grandmothers are. I love spoiling my grandchildren. But yeah, I'll try to control myself." Roy sighed from relief. "Thanks, mom. I gotta go."

Before leaving, Roy approached Ellie. He squatted so he met her blue eyes. Blue eyes that still bring a small sting to his heart every time. "I'm going now. Please behave, okay? Grandma's kinda old so..." Rose, who was standing by the door and listening to him, shouted. "Who you calling old?! I'm only 65!" Roy snickered and kissed Ellie on the top of her head. He loved being in the house he grew up in and listening to his mother nag. It makes him feel almost nostalgic.

Both Rose and Ellie watched as Roy walked towards his car. Before completely being out of earshot, Rose called out to Roy. "Roy!" Without a moment's hesitation, Roy looked back at his mother. "I love you. Take care and drive safely please." He smiled at her and nodded. She was always like this, overprotective of her only son. He answered back, "Yes, mom, I will. And I love you too."

* * *

A/N: I bet you thought you've seen the last of me! Unfortunately for you, you're wrong! MWAHAHA. Just kidding. I love you all. Thank you for your kind words.

You make me wanna criii. ;_;

Fun facts:

Ellie is based off of a kid I know. She just turned four the other day.

Roy's overprotective personality is loosely based off of my dad who wouldn't even let me drive a _**bike**_ because he's afraid I might fall off it and die and his conscience would blame him for my death. Resulting to the fact that even at 21, I still don't know how to ride a bike. Now i crii ;_;

That's it! See you on the next chapter!

iBrows out!


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